Chapter 10 - Date Me

Jennet stood frozen in front of a restaurant that was mentioned in Luca's text message. There were even well-groomed hostesses in the black tux, at the entrance of the restaurant, looking like formidable guards!

She frowned alone. Did Mr Tybelg text her the wrong place? This place is too luxurious for a lunch break!

She gulped silently as she pressed on Luca's phone number, calling him for confirmation.

Less than a minute, Luca's voice greeted her ear. "Yes, Jennet? Have you arrived?" His soft voice calmed her uneasy heart.

Jennet looked up to the name signage of the restaurant. "Did you text me the wrong place, Mr Ty... Ehem I mean, Luca. I followed the name mentioned in your text message and I am currently standing in front of a luxurious restaurant. There's even male hostess in a black tux standing at the entrance. Is this the correct place? Or are you somewhere else?" She asked with a troubled expression.

She looked to the left and to the right, searching for any familiar figure among all the passerby. But, none.

"Just wait there. I will come to fetch you." He replied, then the call was ended.

Jennet slipped her phone inside her handbag and inhaled a deep breath.

Great, he's coming! Now, I don't have to worry about getting to the wrong place. It's impossible he asked me out for lunch at such a luxurious place like this. She whispered to herself as she glanced at the hostesses with a smile.

However, after a few minutes of waiting, she was dumbfounded when she saw Luca's tall figure appeared from inside the restaurant with a wide smile over his good-looking face.

"Luca..." She gasped and she looked up to the name signage of the restaurant again. Then, she looked at him. Her expression was hard to explain because she was both surprised and confused.

"Are we really having lunch here?" She asked, frowning at him in confusion.

Luca approached her and smiled. "Yes." He replied with a wide smile. He escorted her into the restaurant and she was silent all the way to their reserved table. They were seated close to the window, overlooking the street.

Luca pulled a chair for her to sit and she sat down without any hesitation. She was feeling awkward as she couldn't decide whether to place her handbag on the floor close to her feet or let it hang on her chair. Either way, she finds it not really proper. At last, she placed her handbag on the chair behind her.

Her eyes, then, fell on the selections of silverware in front of her. Her, already big eyes, became even bigger upon looking at the silverware in front of her.

On the left-hand side, there were two types of forks, one big and one small. On the right-hand side, there were two types of spoons as well and a knife. All serve for the different purpose of meal courses as it was arranged neatly on the table.

She gulped silently in her seat. Which one should I use first?

She glanced towards Luca who sat opposite her, "Luca, I would like to tell you that I am not used to eating at a place like this." She said in a low voice. "I will just embarrass you."

She looked around and said again, "I know nothing about dining etiquette either. Don't be cheated by how professional my clothes are but I am not used to all these." She desperately tries to explain her situation to him.

Well, she's used to eating out at the food stall with Marvina. They don't have to watch for their manners on the table and most of the time would use their fingers to pick and to eat their foods. It was so much enjoyable than having to dine properly which was tiring for them.

Luca just smiled. He was surprised because she was too honest. Her innocence made him feel comfortable around her.

This woman is totally different from the other women that he knew. She was too innocent and honest with all the people around her. She didn't even hesitate to tell him about the things she didn't know or things that she's not used too.

Luca smiled. "Well, don't worry. I will tell you." He said. "Utensils are placed in the order of use; that is, from the outside in. You can watch me when they serve our meal later." He explained slowly.

He has always been very kind and patient with explaining thing to her. No wonder, everyone feels comfortable with him because he's easy going.

"Ohh..." Jennet let out a long 'o' in a low voice.

Then, again she said with a wide smile. "Okay, I will copy what you do because I know nothing about eating at a place as luxurious like this."

Luca chuckled, "Don't worry too much. There's nothing to worry about here. I will guide you as always. This is partly my fault as well because I was eager to bring you here without knowing your concern." He smiled.

Yes, he was so eager to ask her out this morning and he wanted to make her comfortable but little did he knew that she felt uncomfortable because of his eagerness to make her eating comfortably. Well, he knew nothing about her yet and now he is slowly learning about her, the one woman who had been labelled as the Loveless Woman.

"Thank you." She said and smiled. His word made Jennet inhaled a deep breath. Her boss is so understanding!

Throughout the lunch break, she copied everything Luca does. She copied him by following him on which fork, knife and spoon he used first and how he used them. The simple lunch hour turned into the most difficult lunch hour in her life!

However, it was the opposite experience for the man who sat before her. He was enjoying all her innocent look all for the entire lunch time. He found her to be so amusing and her innocence was what made him feel so attracted to her. Though he had known her for five years, he was not so attracted to her before as how he felt now.

As soon as the lunch break finished, both of them left the restaurant together. Jennet was about to leave as soon as possible to avoid more trouble but Luca stopped her by the street.

"Jennet, I was wondering if you can consider to date me for real." He said softly. His smile never fades from his good-looking face.

Jennet felt goosebumps all over her body. She was speechless. Her mind was frozen momentarily. She had been in shocked again, twice!

She cleared her throat as she looked at him, "Luca, can we be just friends?" She asked with a guilty look.

Luca looked at her. "Why?" He asked.

Never before women rejected him in his life. If he said that bomb word, they will immediately fell for him but she was totally different. She refused him instantly!

Jennet looked around them before replying, "Honestly, I feel so awkward right now. It never crossed my mind today about what you said just now. Even you asked me out for lunch today was already something that never crossed my mind either. I have regarded you as the superior whom I respected at work." She said with honesty.

"Can we just be friend?" She asked again.

Luca looked at her and smiled, "No." He answered.

"Why?" Jennet asked. Her heart was already beating fast. She felt so guilty now.

Luca observed her cute face. Her troubled look made him happy in a sudden and he had a feeling to see her other expression that she never showed anyone before.

"If you want to be my friend then, if I asked you out, you cannot refuse." He said, telling her his conditions if she wants to be his friend.

Jennet bit her inner lower lip in silent. She's even pressing her fingernails by her side. She's in huge trouble now. If she keeps going out with him, his fans will really kill her for real!

Even at this moment, she still thinks about his furious looking fans within the company!

"Can we just leave it all behind us for now? Honestly, I can only think about being your friend but more than that, I don't think I can." She replied, saying her rejection all at once.

Luca smiled. His heart was broken but he didn't feel so bad about it. Instead, he said, "Well, I won't pester you more with this question since you respected me as your superior. But, I hope one day, you can open a bit of your heart to know me even if we start our relationship as friends."

Jennet just smiled. "Okay." She answered.

If my heart is open. She murmured in her mind.

She left to work at lightning speed before Luca could offer to give her a ride back to the company.

Luca just watched her leaving hurriedly. He smiled. "Well, I will win you one day." He left shortly after that.

Little Veen appeared on the street when the man left. He was watching his car leaving the parking area.

"Now, Master can be worried all to his heart content." He said and disappeared again.